Bible Strands
2 Kings 23:1
Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The king summons the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to convene a formal assembly before leading the entire population to the house of the LORD.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֖ח (va/i.yish.Lach) literally means "and he sent," while וַ/יַּאַסְפ֣וּ (va/i.ya.'as.Fu) means "and they gathered," showing a two-step directive where the king issues a call and the elders respond by assembling.
The thread — This convening pattern appears in 2 Chronicles 34:29 and 2 Chronicles 29:20, where kings similarly gather Judah's officials before temple restoration or covenant reading.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that public covenant renewal depends on official leadership gathering to hear the written law read aloud.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 34:29 Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
- Deuteronomy 31:28 Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officers so that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them.
- 2 Chronicles 29:20 Early the next morning King Hezekiah gathered the city officials and went up to the house of the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 30:2 For the king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month,
- 2 Samuel 6:1 David again assembled the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in all.